Digital marketing has enabled businesses of all sizes to reach their customers in this digital-first world. Digital marketing touches your life daily, whether it is on social media, through a Google search or even in your email. What however are the various forms of digital marketing?
This guide presents the main types of them to enable one to have an idea on how they all work and how they can be used to grow a business.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
What Is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization or SEO refers to the practice of enhancing your site so that it appears higher in search engine results Google or Bing when users search on keywords related to your business.
How Does SEO Work?
SEO involves:
- Using the right keywords in your content
- Optimizing title tags and meta descriptions
- Improving website speed and mobile-friendliness
- Building quality backlinks
Why It Matters
When your business appears on the first page of Google, then you are more likely to receive clicks, traffic, and customers without spending money on advertisements.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)
What Is PPC?
PPC stands for Pay-Per-Click. It is a type of digital advertising in which you only pay when a person clicks on your advertisement. Google Ads is the most popular platform to run PPC ads, but it also can be done on Bing Ads and Facebook Ads.
Key Features
- Instant outcomes: Your ad is visible when you start a campaign.
- Targeted reach: You can target the users by location, interests, device, time of day etc.
- Budget control: You determine the amount that you will spend per day or per click.
Why It Matters
PPC is the best option for companies that need instant exposure and prospects, particularly when they are releasing a new product or joining a competitive industry.
Social Media Marketing (SMM)
What Is SMM?
Social Media Marketing is the practice of using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, and Tik Tok to market your brand, connect with your audience and attract traffic to your website.
Organic vs. Paid Social Media
- Organic: Posting content to build an audience over time.
- Paid: Paying to promote posts or advertisements and increase visibility and reach new users.
Why It Matters
Americans spend hours daily on social media. When your brand is not present where your audience is present, you are losing out on the chance to reach and convert.
Content Marketing
What Is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is the process of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.
This can include:
- Blog posts
- Videos
- Infographics
- Podcasts
- E-books
How It Works
Rather than out-and-out advertising a product, content marketing establishes trust by offering useful information. As an example, a fitness brand can post healthy recipes or fitness tips.
Why It Matters
Content marketing can make your brand a thought leader and can help in enhancing SEO, lead generation, and customer loyalty.
Email Marketing
What Is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is the process of sending emails to prospects or customers with the aim of promoting products, offering deals or sharing useful information. It is one of the digital marketing strategies that has been there since the beginning and has proven to be one of the most effective.
Types of Email Campaigns
- Newsletters
- Welcome emails
- Product announcements
- Promotional offers
- Cart abandonment reminders
Why It Matters
Email marketing delivers a high return on investment (ROI). Each dollar invested has an average ROI of about 36 dollars. It is a direct connection to your customers that you control- unlike social media.
Influencer Marketing
What Is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing involves people with a large or dedicated following, especially on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, to market your brand.
Types of Influencers
- Mega-influencers: Over 1 million followers
- Macro-influencers: 100K–1M followers
- Micro-influencers: 10K–100K followers
- Nano-influencers: Under 10K followers
Why It Matters
Influencers have the trust of their followers. When they endorse something, they are listened to- especially by the young consumers in America.
Affiliate Marketing
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing whereby the business involved pays the affiliate (partner) to send traffic or sales to the site.
How It Works
Affiliates advertise your products on blogs, YouTube or social media. When the affiliate link is clicked and a purchase is made, the affiliate receives a cut.
Why It Matters
It is a risk-free method of generating sales since you only pay when there are results.
Video Marketing
What Is Video Marketing?
Video marketing involves the use of videos to market your products, educate the customer or to increase engagement. Video has become one of the most effective marketing tools in this day and age as platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels have become extremely popular.
Popular Types of Marketing Videos
- Product demos
- Customer testimonials
- How-to videos
- Behind-the-scenes clips
- Live streams
Why It Matters
Video messages are more interactive and memorable in comparison with the text. As a matter of fact, Americans tend to purchase a product more easily after viewing a video on it.
Mobile Marketing
What Is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing uses mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to reach their users via SMS, push notifications, mobile applications and mobile responsive websites.
Strategies Include
- Text message campaigns
- App-based marketing
- Location-based ads
- Mobile-optimized websites
Why It Matters
The majority of Americans shop, browse and use social media on their smartphones. Unless your digital marketing is responsive to the mobile, you are leaving money on the table.
Online Public Relations (PR)
What Is Online PR?
Online PR is the practice of creating a positive brand image in the internet via digital press releases, guest blogging, influencer outreach and online review management.
Key Tactics
- Reaching out to online publications and bloggers
- Responding to customer reviews on Google or Yelp
- Engaging with the public on forums and social platforms
Why It Matters
Online reputation is the real deal-maker or breaker of any business in the United States. One or two negative reviews or press releases can hurt your bottom line-whereas positive press will create credibility and trust.
